Pashos solid at right guard as Jags' line pushes forward

Tony Pashos has been a right tackle for a combination of 11 years in college and in the NFL with Illinois, Baltimore and the Jaguars.

He's been a right guard for a week, and played the position it in live action for one half. But if moving him one spot to the left on the offensive line keeps him with the team, he's obviously for it.

"As soon as I calmed down and learned the world of right guard on game day, it got a little easier," Pashos said Thursday after the Jaguars beat Washington 24-17 in the final preseason game at the Municipal Stadium. "There are about three plays I'd like to have back. I'm overly critical. I think I can do a lot better. There's more work to do."

However, for the half that Pashos spent with the first offensive line at his new position, the transition seemed smooth. The Jaguars outgained the Redskins 209-59, had 11 first downs to three for their opponent and converted 7 of 11 third-down situations - a frequent problem in the first three preseason games.

Neither of the two times quarterback David Garrard was sacked came over Pashos, and there were no flags thrown on the offensive line during that time.

"All right ... are you complimenting me?" Pashos said when informed that the line didn't draw a penalty when he was in the game - not always the case last year.

Pashos' performance might extinguish the speculation that he would be one of the veterans failing to survive the final cutdown date Saturday. When rookie Eben Britton gave the Jaguars the choice of youth over struggling veteran at right tackle, Pashos was asked to move to right guard after last week's game against Philadelphia.

"He has worked really hard in practice and gone at it super-hard," Garrard said. "Tony is a competitor, and no matter position you put him at, he's going to work at it."

The combination of Britton's performance and the contract extension given to Jordan Black earlier Thursday (Black was listed as Britton's backup on the depth chart against the Redskins) made it clear that Pashos' future with the team would be at guard.

Coincidentally, Pashos pushed out another veteran, previous right guard starter Maurice Williams, who moved from tackle to guard when Pashos was signed as a free agent before the 2007 season.

In the second half Williams played tackle, and he will be a backup at all three offensive line positions.

The move of starting Pashos at right guard, combined with rookie tackles Britton and first-round draft pick Eugene Monroe, center Brad Meester and Vince Manuwai at left guard, may represent the best unit the team can get on the field at the same time.

Considering also that Williams, Black, free-agent tackle Tra Thomas, guard Uche Nwaneri and center Dennis Norman are backups, the Jaguars have cautious optimism that a team weakness last year might be a strength this year.